The Analysis of the Nursing Ethic
Nursing is an extremely responsible occupation. The primary aim of the nurse is to provide high-quality treatment for every patient. Also, the nurse should be able to create a comfortable environment and become a health adviser. Personal, cultural, and spiritual values and beliefs form every individuality. All these factors influence one’s individuality inevitably. Ethical considerations of the personality predetermine goals and ways of their achievement. In the following paper, my nursing ethics will be evaluated and analyzed.
Definition of ethics
Kozier (2008) defines values as a set of opinions and attitudes towards a particular person or idea. The notion of ethics should be differentiated from values and beliefs. Thus, Kozier (2008) writes, “ethics can be defined as a set of values that defines right and wrong or a guide to decisions relating to moral duty and obligations” (p. 42). In nursing practice, considerations about right and wrong things as well as obligations and moral duty can determine the way of behavior or decision-making.
Personal, cultural, and spiritual values
My values have been forming during my lifetime. I am more than sure that my values are still in the process of development. Compassion is the first value that explains my desire to work in the health care environment. Besides, I believe that a person can achieve something only with the help of hard work. Nothing falls from the sky. Self-control is another personal value that contributes significantly to my professional development in nursing. The most important cultural value is individuality. I always aim at being independent and doing everything on my own. The second important cultural value refers to privacy. I appreciate and understand the desire of people to have their private space and time for being alone. Equality is another cultural value. I realize that all people are equal regardless of ethnicity, race, or background. Finally, my primary spiritual value is that human life is sacred. No one can deprive an individual of life. A set of these beliefs makes me a person who wants to be a sympathetic professional who knows how to take care of others and achieve particular goals.
Obligation to nursing practice
Values, morals, and ethics predetermine obligation in nursing to some extent. For instance, I assume that compassion assists me in conducting my duty better. It is necessary to understand and sympathize with people to provide high-quality treatment. At the same time, I may face difficulty in providing severe treatment measures because I cannot stand watching people suffering. My worldview may become a reason for the formation of the ethical dilemma. According to the Canadian Nurses Association (2003), “Ethical dilemmas are situations arising when equally compelling ethical reasons both for and against a particular course of action are recognized, and a decision must be made” (p. 3). For example, as a person who believes in the sacred life, I do not accept the practice of euthanasia. At the same time, as a professional, I realize that sometimes it is a necessary measure.
Personal views and professional decision-making
A variety of ethical dilemmas may occur in the professional sphere. For instance, I may need to do something against the patient’s will because it is needed for treatment. The most important thing is to choose the right approach to decision-making. My values make me consider that any decision should have good aims and be advantageous for the patient. I ask myself these questions before making any decision — “Is this a good action?”, “What are the benefits of it?”, and “Will I become a better person after it?”.
References
Canadian Nurses Association. (2003). Ethics in Practice. Web.
Kozier, B. (2008). Fundamental of Nursing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.